Saturday, October 1, 2016

Caring Hearts Card Drive 2016


Hi all. We are back for the 7th year for our annual Caring Hearts Card Drive. The purpose of our card drive is to collect holiday cards for the elderly that lives in nursing homes. I started this card drive 7 years ago, in 2010 in honor of my mom's request. That first year, we collected 750 cards. And each year it continue to grow bigger. Last year we received over 22,000 cards and distribute the cards to over 100 nursing homes throughout the US, Canada and Australia.

Jennifer McGuire and I are excited to continue bringing holiday cheers to many nursing homes. This year, we are branching out to the United Kingdom and this will allow us to start distributing in UK/Europe.

The holidays are about family, kindness, and joy. During this time many of the elderly who lives in nursing homes would really feel the loneliness or missing their family. Wouldn't it be so awesome if we can bring a smile to their face & brighten their holiday season simply by sharing our love of card making? A simple gesture to let them know that they are not forgotten. That someone still thinking of them.

We all love making cards and what’s better than knowing our creations can bring a smile to others, right? Some helpful people already agree to help us deliver the cards to selected nursing homes.


IMPORTANT DETAILS:

  • This card drive will be going on from October 1 to November 25, 2016. We need to receive your card by November 25, 2015.
  • Please make the cards for Christmas or Holiday Wishes. Anyone can send a card, your children, church group, scout troops, etc.
  • All cards need to have a message inside (it can be stamped or hand written).  
  • Please sign your name and where you are from (inside the card). 
  • Please include an envelope for each card and please don't seal the envelope.
  • Please stick to standard size A2 or 4-1/4" x 5-1/2" card as this will help us in packing more efficiently
  • Please don't use any pins (safety reason).
  • This is totally optional. But, if you'd like to include $1 or $2 to help with shipping, it'll be much appreciated. We cover the shipping cost ourselves, with no sponsor, so any donation toward shipping would help tremendously.
For US, you can mail the cards to:
  • Vera Yates, 1314 Roy St., Houston, TX 77007                              
  • Tina Schrof , 185 W. Pugh Drive, Springboro, OH 45066
  • Lynn Reloza, 3353 Cimmarron Road, Cameron Park, CA 95682 
For Australia:
  • Linda Langes, c/o Gilston State School, 588 Worongary Road, GILSTON QLD 4211, Australia
  • Deb McCleary, PO Box 213, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia
For Canada:
  • Caroline Bredeson, 7 Brown Street, Ottawa, ON K1S 1L9, Canada    
  • Rita Andrews, 28 West Gissing Rd, Cochrane, Alberta T4C 1L6, Canada    
For UK/Europe:
  • Taheerah Atchia, 36 Pinewood Crescent,Orrell, Wigan, Lancashire, WN5 8NF, United Kingdom  
In each package, PLEASE include THIS SUBMISSION FORM.  This helps us in keeping track for prizes! For each card you send, you will get a chance.  So the more cards you send, the better your chances. 
To thank you for your generosity in supporting this drive, we have several PRIZES ready for several winners. There will be many winners. :)

Also, if you 'd like to help us promote the card drive, whenever you're sharing your projects for Caring Hearts on social media, please use the hashtag #caringheartscarddrive. Part of my life goal is to spread kindness and make kindness a trend. :)

The nursing homes that we supported are based on what people suggested to us. If you want your local nursing homes to receive cards from the card drive, please email me or Jennifer the name of the nursing homes and the number of residents, so we can make sure that we send enough cards. Each year, we never know how many nursing homes we can support as the number are totally based on how many cards we received. To keep things organized, we assigned the 7 collecting addresses above. This way we can keep track of the amount of cards as well as for prize purpose.


I'll update the prize list as more prizes coming in. And huge thank you to all the fabulous, generous companies who support this card drive by donating awesome prizes.



PLATINUM PRIZES (everyone sending 100+ cards will be entered for this prize)


Amy Lee - Package of stamp & dies from
My Favorite Thing, Ellen Hutson & Mama Elephant $500 value

Gina K. Designs - $200 GC

Jennifer McGuire Ink -  $100 in craft supplies


Maymay Made It - 100 GC

Mommy Lhey - $100 GC

Online Card Classes -  $100 GC



Simon Says Stamp - $150 GC








GOLD PRIZES:

Altenew - $50 GC



Avery Elle - $30GC

Birch Press - $25GC

Bossy Josie - $40 GC





CardMaker Magazine - 1 year subscription

Concord and 9th - $25 GC





CutCardStock.com - $50GC 


Ellen Hutson - $50 GC





Hero Arts - Three $50 GC


Honey Bee Stamps - $50 GC


Jane's Doodle - $50 GC


Lawn Fawn - $50 GC


Litte Things from Lucy's Cards - £25 worth of products

Mama Elephant - $25 GC





Neat & Tangled - $50 GC


Newston's Nook Designs - $25 GC


Organize More - $75 GC

Paper Smooches - $25 GC


Paper Temptress - Two $25 GC


Pink & Main - $30 GC




Reverse Confetti - $50 GC


Right At Home - $20 GC

Scrapbook & Cards Today: one year subscription



Spectrum Noir  - 1 tin of Coloured Blend Color Pencil


SugarPea Designs - $25 GC

Studio Katia - Canada $35 CG


Sunny Studios - $25 GC




Sweet Stamp Shop - Two $25 GC






The Ton Stamps - $25 GC



Verve Stamps - $30 GC



Your Next Stamp - $50 GC




I will update the prize list as I get more. :) Please feel free to share about this card drive. We really appreciate your support & generosity. Let's rock this card drive and bring Christmas joy to as many nursing homes as we can!! Thank you. 

PS: Thank you to Chaitali Narla for designing the badge. :)

33 comments:

Kirsty Vittetoe said...

Thanks for hosting this card drive, I did a few via jennifer's blog and I am glad to come over here to join in this meaningful card drive as well. : )

Trina P. said...

This is a fantastic cause! I can't wait to participate. And what a generous group of crafting companies. Although I am fairly new, I'm so happy to be part of this particular crafting community now. Thank you for hosting.

Denise Bryant said...

Such a great card drive! I have participated two years in receiving cards to deliver to a local assisted living facility. I hope to do that again this year! I take them to the facility where my aunt lives!

Linda said...

What a wonderful list of generous sponsors Vera - great job coordinating all that - must be huge! So happy to be a part of this very worthy cause and do my bit downunder. Can't wait to see the cards coming in and of course craft a few myself to add to the piles. Cheers!

Unknown said...

I was wondering what I was going to do. I made Christmas cards last year and didn't send them. Yay! And I got new nChristmas stamps I'm dying to use. Thanks for giving me an outlet.

Unknown said...

This is the first I've heard of your card drive. I use to work in an assisted living aand I know first hand how much the residents love these kind of things! I will be joining you this year!

Unknown said...

This is the first I've heard of your card drive. I use to work in an assisted living aand I know first hand how much the residents love these kind of things! I will be joining you this year!

Queen Mary said...

Vera, this is a wonderful card drive, the details are almost mind boggling though -- make cards, send them in, I'm going to work on it.

Yukiko Sugiyama said...

This is the first card drive that I learned how to spread the kindness via cards! I will be joining this year!

Kristie Maynard said...

I'm so excited for this card drive again this year. I hope you will allow me again to distribute cards to the Brothers of Mercy Nursing Home and Rehab Center and the Sacred Heart Adult Care Home, where my Mom lives. I can't tell you how much the people at Sacred Heart love the cards. My Mom was so excited to tell me where hers came from and show me what she had received. The people in the dining room were excitedly comparing their cards and where they were from. I would love to help bring this joy to them again this year.
I'm already planning some of the cards I'll be making. Thanks so much for doing this, I know it's a ton of work and you do it with such love. You are a very special kind of person. (((((hugs))))) to you all. I'll be sharing this with all my crafty friends.

Cynthia Clark said...

Thanks so much to all who participate. I'm a retired geriatric nurse, this drive is close to my heart. One of my best friends recently received an Alzheimer diagnosis. Thank you so much!

Sue C said...

Such a wonderful idea! Sharing kindness.

Sue C said...

Such a wonderful idea! Sharing kindness.

tinyfeet said...

Such a wonderful, kind act you are doing. This card drive is near and dear to my heart as my mother is in a nursing home, and it can be so sad to see folks in a home and no one comes to see them. Handmade cards can really brighten their day!

Unknown said...

Vera this is a wonderful card drive. I have been making cards for my dad's memory care unit for all holidays for the last year or so. I started when I noticed that many of the residents received few to no visitors. My goal has always been to put a smile on someones face. Sadly I lost my dad this past month. His service was on the 1st. I am heartbroken. If I can muster up the strength I will make as many cards for the drive as I can. Again thank you for putting this together.

Black Dragon Alchemy said...

This is such a fun concept and it was great how different all the cards are.

scrapchick2 said...

I am itching to start making cards immediately. What a wonderful program. Thank you for letting me share in it.

Helen Gullett said...

What a wonderful card drive to bring joy and cheers to those who are at nursing homes! I am sharing this and putting the badge on my blog. Hoping more and more people sending cards this year.

Blessings!

Debbie A. said...

What a fantastic card drive!! Thank you so so much for co-hosting this event. It is such a worthy cause. Just think of all the smiles that will be generated and the hearts that will be blessed. I'm going to see how many cards I can make and donate.

Chark said...

I LOVE this card drive so much! Older people are so often forgotten and who doesn't love mail?? And I love that it's growing each year. I'm in!

Margaret said...

What a great idea, I will be organising for the ladies who attend a local community craft group, here in Australia, to make a card. Such a great way to give back and pass it on to others.

Holly AKA KopyKat said...

Oh what a fantastic idea, I will definitely be making some extra cards to send to you.

Unknown said...

Just wondering if you received the cards I sent you a few weeks ago.
Sally Greiner

Crafty Math Chick said...

So kind of your to organize this even again Vera - you little elf, spreading cheer to so many who don't have much in their lives, bless you!

Cindy C. said...

A wonderful card drive indeed. Would love to participate. Thanks for organizing.

Unknown said...

This is a great idea. I am new to card making and am still gathering my supplies. I do not have many people in my life to give cards to so this is a wonderful way to make more :)

Tracey T said...

Great that we now have a contact in the UK so that we can join in with this fabulous event. Thank you for all you do.

MJ said...

Such a beautiful idea. I am new to this event this year. I love crafting with my grandkids. They always want to make cards so this year we can make them and put them in a box for next year.

A friend of mine and me coined an acronym, unfortunately for very sad reasons but it says it all.

HLTP

Hugs Love Thanks and Prayers

Victoria said...

I just started making cards again and love it. I want to make more cards than just for family and friends and I think this is a wonderful cause. So from now on I will make it a person goal to contribute each year to this card drive. Thank you for caring!

Katie M said...

Thank you for putting so much into this cause. So happy we can all join you in the effort to cheer up people for the holidays.

Olessya K said...

What a great cause! Definitely going to send some cards over to one of your Canadian contacts.

Khalie's cards said...

I just learned of this card drive, one day before it closes. I have a minimum of 40-60 cards I could send your way but they would not make the deadline of tomorrow. I am in Montreal and could send the cards to Ottawa but since I am out of work at this time, sending them next day delivery would be impossible because of the cost. Please advise if I could send them for a later delivery through Canada post. I'd love to share those cards, let me know what is doable.

Anonymous said...

Hopw you got my cards, envelopes and cash in time.

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